Retete Culinare Romanesti

Sexy shrooms, marvelous mushrooms, whatever you want to call them, I love 'em. This dish is amazing. Vegetarians are going to go for nuts for it. This risotto is second after lobster or Monkfish risotto. You will love it!

There are over 10,000 kinds of mushrooms. Don't even think about eating wild mushrooms from some forest or garden. Without proper knowledge, 1 of 4 things can happen to you:
1) Nothing
2) You get violently ill
3) You start "trippin" and the world melts around you in your head
4) You die

• 1/2 cup of dried, wild, sliced mushrooms Get a 1 oz bag. (reconstituted…meaning soaking in warm water for 30 minutes until they become soft)

• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

• 4 tablespoons of truffle oil to finish the dish

• 1 small onion – small dice

• 2 cups of chicken stock

• 2 cups of wild mushroom stock

• 1 1/2 cups aborio or other grain rice

• fresh ground pepper and salt to taste (as needed).

• 1 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese

• 2 tablespoons of dried parsley

• 2 tablespoons of dried thyme

• 1 cup of white wine

Equipment

• Medium stock pot

• Small stock pot

• Sauté pan

• Ladle

• Wooden spoon

• Strainer

• Cutting boards and chef's knife

Preparation (Do it!)

1) Bring 2 and 1/2 cups of water (which will later be your mushroom stock) to a boil in the small stock pot. Take your 8 oz pack of mixed wild dry mushrooms and put them in the water. Cover the pot and let it seep like tea for 30 minutes. Drain well and reserve the stock in a measuring cup or larger container. Slice the mushrooms

2) During the time the mushrooms are soaking, it would be a great idea to dice your onion and mince your garlic. In the medium stock pot combine the chicken stock, mushroom stock, and 1/2 cup of white wine. Bring to a simmer and reduce to keep warm, but do not turn off your burner completely.

3) Over medium heat, in the sauté pan combine 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. After the butter has melted, add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute, then add all of the sliced mushrooms and cook for about 8 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of white wine and sauté for 1 minute. Take off of the heat and reserve the mushrooms in a bowl.

4) Without washing the sauté pan, return it to the burner. Over medium-high heat add the other tablespoon of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter. When the butter is melted, add the rice and stir a few times. Let the rice toast for two minutes. Add 1 cup of white wine and cook until the liquid has been absorbed. Then ladle in your stock a few at a time.

Risotto is not hard to make. You just have to pay attention to it. The trick to making great risotto is to ladle in the stock little by little. (And having the best ingredients helps, of course.)

5) Ladle the simmering broth into the risotto a few ladles at a time. Stir mixture constantly. Continue to slowly add broth, a few ladles at a time, until rice is cooked - about 20-25 minutes.

6) After about 15-18 minutes, add your reserved mushrooms. .

7) When the risotto is done, combine with truffle oil, cheese and dried herbs.

I can't express how delicious this dish is. Make sure you get decent canned tomatoes with basil.

Time To Cook:

• Novice cook: 35-40 minutes
• Experienced cook: 20-25 minutes

Factoid

Vodka is a colorless liquid containing ethanol purified by distillation from a fermented substance such as grain, potatoes, molasses, beets, and a variety of other plants. Rye and wheat are the classic grains for vodka. Its roots are Eastern European.

Ingredients

• 2 cups penne pasta

• 2 cups crushed tomatoes with basil - get canned from your market

• 1/2 cup vodka

• 1/4 cup heavy cream

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 3/4 cup red onion, small dice – get a medium onion

• 3/4 red pepper, small dice – use a large pepper

• 3/4 pound salmon fillet, cut into one inch, bite-size pieces

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/3 cup basil, minced

Equipment

• medium stock pot for the pasta

• large skillet for the sauce

• medium, non-stick pan to sauté the fish

Preparation (Do it!)

1) Fill a stock pot 2/3 full with water, add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cook the pasta until it offers slight resistance when bitten into, but isn’t overly soft or overcooked. (This is known as “al dente.”) Drain the cooking water and return the pasta to the stock pot. Do not rinse your pasta with water.

2) Place your non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and add a tablespoon of butter.

3) When the butter is melted, add the minced onion and peppers and cook until translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Stir occasionally and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

4) Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.

5) Add the tomato sauce slowly, so it won’t splatter and bring to a simmer for 3-4 minutes.

6) Add the vodka and continue cooking until the liquid is reduced by 1/4.

7) While the sauce is reducing, add the olive oil to your other non-stick skillet and heat on medium high.

8) Add the salmon and cook for 2 minutes on one side and 1 minute on the other side. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve on plate with paper towel.

9) Add the cream to the tomato sauce and let it thicken for 3-4 minutes.

10) Add the salmon, Parmesan and basil and cook for 1 minute.

11) Toss the pasta with the sauce, serve in a bowl and top with basil leaves.

This is a fairly easy (the sauce is the hardest part), tasty and healthy dish that will be sure to make her swoon for more. Serve with Champagne and she will love you-- at least for a moment. Note: if you can't find micro greens at your grocery store chop up some spinach instead. It will work just the same. This can be served as an appetizer too.

Time To Cook:

• Novice cook: 60 minutes • Experienced cook: 35-40 minutes

Factoid

Salmon is a super sexy fish that is fantastic for your system. Salmon meat contains large levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which studies show can lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, Alzheimers and depression. The American Heart Association recommends people eat at least two servings of fatty fish per week.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound of fresh salmon, skinned

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 1 red bell pepper

• 1 tooth of garlic, peeled

• 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger, peeled

• Juice of two freshly squeezed oranges (blood oranges are best)

• 1-2 tablespoons of honey

• Salt and pepper

• 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil (higher quality works best)

• Micro greens (available at your grocery store) or spinach

Equipment

• Hand blender or blender

• Saute pan, griddle pan or bbq

• Plastic wrap

• Tongs

Preparation (Do it!)

1) Roast the pepper. Put the pepper directly onto your gas burner on your stove top. Keep turning until the entire fruit (yes, it's officially a fruit) is black. If you have an electric stove, roast in the oven at 350˚ for 25-35 minutes, until it's black. When done, wrap in plastic foil and wait until it has cooled down to peel off the skin. When taking off the skin, you will also easily be able to take the seeds out.

2) To make the sauce, put the olive oil, orange juice, ginger, garlic and roasted pepper in the blender and puree. (High speed for the hand blender.) Add the honey to taste and season with salt and pepper.

3) Lightly coat your fish with lemon, some olive oil and salt and pepper. Cook on a heated grill pan or grill approx. 3-5 minutes each side. When the fish is half cooked, turn it over. Make sure you don't cook it too long or you'll dry it out. The internal temperature of the cooked fish should be 125˚F or 50˚C. Do not overcook. You want this fish wet.

4) Mix the greens with some balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.

5) Heat up the sauce on the stove top in a small sauce pot on low, or microwave for a minute or so.

When you're done, plate the fish on the micro greens and drizzle the sauce on top of and around the fish.